


A Hero's Spirit

by SilvermistAnimeLover



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Champions, Ghost Wild, Ghost Zelda, Ghosts, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, LU Adventures, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Mipha's Grace (Legend of Zelda), Revali (Legend of Zelda) Being an Asshole, Revali mellows out, We stan that, Wild (Linked Universe)-centric, Wild's shit self esteem, you read that right
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29667576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilvermistAnimeLover/pseuds/SilvermistAnimeLover
Summary: Calamity Ganon was stronger than anyone had anticipated. Link and Zelda gave their lives to seal him away in the ruins of Hyrule Castle. But an unexpected complication with Mipha's Grace has given Link a corporeal ghost form. Now stuck amongst the living, with one foot in the realm of the dead, he must struggle to figure out what Hylia needs him to do. Luckily, the Champions of Old are there to help him.Nobody could've possibly foreseen eight incarnations of the Hero's Spirit—very ALIVE incarnations—appearing from the mists of the Lost Woods asking for Link.
Comments: 44
Kudos: 329





	1. The Sealing of Fate

_**A/N: What's this? A new LU story? THIS soon?! Yeah. My Muse has been going nuts with LU lately. Trust me, this ain't the only story I've started. But it's just hit 34k words, so I figured** _ **_it was okay to start posting. Once it's caught up, expect updates to slow down, as I tend to oftentimes jump between stories. :Wild_Laugh:_ **

_**Shoutout to my LU Discord peeps! Ya'll gave me this idea, now you're stuck with it. :P** _

_**Warning for Main Character Death (Obviously. It's a GHOST fic. Someone important's gotta die.) This is your only warning.** _

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

  
Link staggered on his feet, utterly exhausted. His breath came out in ragged painful huffs, and Zelda stood beside him in a similar state. They were filthy and bloodstained, and he knew that neither of them would be leaving this castle alive. Their injuries were too severe. This would be their final stand. 

He wished he’d asked Sidon for help. Or Riju to send reinforcements. Teba would’ve gladly rallied the warriors, and Yunobo would’ve raised a fuss until the Gorons came. But Link had been too stubborn. He’d stormed the castle alone like an idiot without so much as informing Impa. 

This was his fault. It would’ve been fine if it was just _his_ life, but Zelda was going to fall with him. He shared a look with her. “He’s too strong.” 

“I know.” She panted. “I thought I’d been holding him here, draining his strength this last century. But it looks like he was leeching mine instead. I’m sorry, Link. This is my fault.” 

“No, it’s mine.” He argued, a light smile on his face. “I could’ve brought backup.” 

They both dodged a furious blast of wind that flung Link into one of the stone walls of the sanctum. “We _have_ to end this!” Zelda cried out. “I have a plan.” 

“I’m not going to like this, am I?” He gasped around the pain. The deep gash in his left side was bleeding profusely, making the ground slick with blood. 

“No, you aren’t.” She smiled bitterly. “But we both know that neither of us will survive. Link… hand me your sword.” 

He hesitated only a moment before handing the Master Sword over to the princess. She closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating her powers into the blade. An ethereal chime resonated within the very depths of his soul, even as he brought out Revali’s Great Eagle Bow to keep Calamity at bay. 

“Take it!” Zelda threw the blade back at him. He caught it with a practiced hand, the sword humming with unbridled power. 

He instantly understood what she’d done. Zelda had given everything she had to the blade. 

_“Master Link.”_ He almost didn’t dodge the barrage of flames in time as the voice echoed in his mind. _“I am Fi, the spirit that dwells within your blade.”_ She sounded pained, and he suddenly understood. 

She had been too weak to help beforehand. Too weak to speak. Now, with the boost Zelda had given to her, she was finally able to speak with him. In their final moments. 

“Well, then, Fi.” He grinned with bloodied teeth as he understood Zelda’s intentions. “I think you’ve figured out the plan. Can you do it?” 

_“I can, Master. But it won’t last forever.”_

“Then I’ll meet you in the next life. Perhaps there, we can finish this.” He promised. She chimed in agreement, blade humming with sacred power. He forced his tired, aching, _screaming_ body to move. 

Link charged Calamity Ganon and leapt high into the air with Revali’s Gale. He ignored the way his foe raised his blade, aiming for his chest. Link wasn’t going to dodge—If he was going to die, he was determined to take this monster out with him. 

A cry of pain and determination escaped his lips as he felt the sharp icy sting of the blade piercing his chest. It should’ve killed him then and there. But Link was determined. He thrust Fi downwards, into Calamity Ganon’s skull. The beast _roared_ in fury as the sacred powers of the Goddess did their work. 

The beast started shrinking, bringing Link and Fi closer to the ground. The beast thrashed, digging its claws into his already injured side. He let out a pained cry as the Malice ate away at his skin, bubbling and festering like acid. The images of the Champions flashed before his eyes.

For Revali, a friendly rival who had nobly served his kingdom and died an arrogant beloved friend. For Daruk, a gentle soul who was as brave as his rocky skin was hard. For Urbosa, a beloved chief and mother figure to Zelda—a wise and fair leader. And Mipha, the fallen Zora princess that Link still wasn’t sure if he’d loved or not. 

And for Zelda. The princess that had lost everything and still gave what she had left. The one who subjected herself to a _century_ of fighting nonstop and still sacrificed even more to defeat their foe. 

For all those loved and lost, Link would fight. He would _not_ give up until this demon was sealed. The claws dug further into his side as Calamity twisted the blade on his chest. Blood dribbled down his chin as he grit his chipped and broken teeth. _Just a little more_. 

Link’s feet touched the ground as Fi was buried into the stone floor, sealing Calamity Ganon away with a final horrific cry. Fi hummed one last time before dimming, conserving her energy so as to keep him sealed for as long as possible. 

The claws in his side vanished, and he staggered back, hitting a wall and sliding down to sit next to Zelda. He pulled out the blade from his chest, letting it clatter to the side. He was fading fast, and Zelda looked to be in a similar state. He could feel his lifeblood draining at an alarming pace, but honestly couldn’t fully bring himself to care. 

“I’ve cast a barrier around the Sanctum.” Zelda explained in a weak, breathy voice. “None but the Hero may enter this place.” 

“Thank you.” He smiled. “I hope… in our next lives… I’ll be able to protect you.” 

“I’m sure you will.” She smiled back, tears running down her face. “Goodbye, Link.” 

“Goodbye, Zelda.” He felt tears run down his own cheeks as the light left her eyes and her hand fell limp to the cold stone floor. It was finally starting to sink in. Nobody was going to come and rescue them—they had failed a final time. There would be no Shrine of Resurrection for him a second time.

It was frustrating. He’d done everything he’d been asked of. He’d freed the Divine Beasts. He’d defeated monsters and explored the incredible world that was his home. Link had even bought a house in the hopes that he and Zelda would have a place to stay. 

He’d made so many friends, and even created a little Rito family of his own. At least, Saki and Teba treated him like he was their hatchling. He wondered if they’d miss him. How long it’d take them to realize he was gone. He was prone to vanishing for long periods of time, after all. And his horse, Echo… he hoped he’d be well taken care of. 

He gasped with rattling lungs as another wave of pain swept through his body. Damnit, why did dying have to be so painful?

He opened his eyes again. When had he closed them? Standing there before him were the Champions and Zelda. Their spirits glowed with an otherworldly light. 

“You’re an idiot.” Revali huffed. “You weren’t supposed to _die_ .” It was probably Link’s imagination, but the Rito looked grieved. Like he _wanted_ Link to continue living. 

“You fought like the warrior I always knew you to be.” Urbosa smiled. “Be proud, Link. This death is an honorable one.” 

“Come on, Little Guy!” Daruk grinned. “It’s just about time to go.” 

“Link.” Mipha smiled at him. “Even without your memories, I still… You’re very important to me. I do hope that we can spend some time together in the afterlife.” She held out a hand towards him, Zelda doing the same on her other side. 

“Come on, Link. You’ve earned your rest.” 

He felt the pain of his body fade as his hand rose off the ground. But it felt light, much lighter than it should’ve been. He looked down to see that he was coated in the same ethereal light as the others. He, too, was dead now. 

In a way, it was relieving. Despite his sorrows and regrets, his life had been hard and hectic and _so lonely_ . To finally have these people reaching out towards him, telling him it was _over_ … 

He pushed himself up onto legs that weren’t battered and broken, and took one last look at his body. It was shot to hell. Covered in wounds and lacerations that made him wonder how the hell he’d survived long enough to seal the Calamity away. His deepest wounds oozed with a sickly purple substance that he knew to be Malice. His side in particular was practically gouged out by Ganon’s claws.

Even if he _had_ survived the injuries, he never would’ve survived the Malice infection. He turned back towards the Champions and reached out to take their hands. Behind them was a large archway with ancient writing around the border. Swirling within it was a warm, gentle, pulsating light. He knew that gateway… The Gates of Death. The portal that took spirits to the afterlife. He smiled. This was it. He was finally going to rest. 

Even so, the smiling faces of his living friends passed through his mind. His heart ached for them. Teba and Saki… Bolson… Riju… Yunobo… _Sidon_. Impa was old enough, he’d be seeing her soon, too… Robbie would follow. Purah… wouldn’t she be left alone? And what about the villagers in Hateno? The kids loved playing with Link, they’d be so sad he’d never return. 

He truly was an idiot. He’d caused so much _pain_ —

Then, a familiar green flame rose up around his body, and his nonexistent heart skipped several beats. “No…” He whispered out in shock. This _wasn’t happening_ . He had _earned_ his rest, damnit!

The Champions also gaped in horror, but none more so than Mipha. “I-I’m not—!” 

“Our powers must’ve settled within him.” Urbosa realized. “Even without us using them, an echo of them still remains.” 

He wanted to argue—to somehow fight back, but he knew he had no choice.

Link suddenly found himself back in his body, but it was all wrong. Unlike the other times Mipha’s Grace had revived him, this was _painful_. The Malice within him hissed and bucked and he found himself writhing on the floor in agony beyond words. He couldn’t even scream. His limbs felt like ice and the scorching heat of his blood made it feel like his skin was blistering. The Malice was eating away at him like acid, and he could feel his feebly beating heart pumping the substance deeper into his body. 

A bright light shone from his left hand. It was an odd triangular mark that looked vaguely familiar. He thought he remembered seeing it on Zelda’s hand when she first unlocked her Sealing Powers. Why did _he_ have one? It seemed to pulse with a holy light. It burned, too. The two powers—sacred and tainted—battled for dominance within his body, but it was too much. 

His body had been revived countless times over the course of his journey, and it had finally had enough. With a final great piercing agony, he found himself on the stone floor, once again in ghost form. He gulped down shuddering breaths, trying to comprehend what had just occurred. 

“Link?” Mipha crouched down in front of him. His hands looked solid again, not at all like the see-through ghost form he’d had earlier. But a quick glance behind him showed his mangled tortured body laying not six feet away, his face still scrunched in an agonized scream. He winced—he really _looked_ like he’d died a horrible death.

“Mipha?” He looked up at her with wide, terrified eyes. The other Champions looked equally shaken and confused. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he was relieved to find that it didn’t pass through.

He finally sat back, hand brushing the shaft of a broken arrow. It rolled away with a hollow sound that reverberated in the stone room. He startled, staring at the arrow for a moment. Slowly, as if in a trance, he reached for it, only to find his hand pass through it. Was it a fluke? The wind?

He tried again, concentrating on his hand. He found the arrow to be solid, this time, and he held it firmly in his grasp. He was so surprised that he let his concentration lapse and the arrow _fell through his hand_. 

“Wh-what?” He looked up at the others with wide eyes. “Is… is that normal?” 

“Nope.” Revali went as if to kick a discarded broken sword, and his talons passed right through. “Ghosts can’t touch anything.” 

“So… why can I?” 

“Guys, if we don’t go, then…” Daruk stared behind them for a moment, at the archway Link had seen earlier. Only this time, it was empty. The beautiful swirling light was gone, and his insides turned to ice as he understood what that meant for him. 

“Come on, Link. Whatever this is, we can figure it out together.” Zelda decided. 

“I…” A tear ran down his face, quickly followed by another. “I can’t see it.” 

“Can’t see _what_ ?” Revali snapped. “Come _on,_ Link. Those gateways only show up when someone dies, and even then only for a little while. If we miss this, we’ll have to find someone else to hitch a ride with.” 

“I can’t see the light. The gateway is dark.” He whispered quietly. 

“Wait, what?” Zelda whirled around. “If you can’t see it, then… does that mean?”

“He can’t pass on, yet.” Urbosa nodded. 

“Can’t even die right.” Revali huffed. “Fine, fine. I suppose we’ll catch the next one. Any idea _why_ he can’t see it?” 

As Revali spoke the portal’s structure started to crumble. “No, you guys go. I’ll figure this out myself and meet up with you when I can.” He promised. 

“Oh, no.” Urbosa shook her head with a grin. “You’re not getting rid of us _that_ easily. We were separated once before, and we’re not going to make that mistake again.” 

“I’ll stay with you until we can all pass on together.” Mipha stepped forward, wringing her hands. 

“Yeah, Little Guy!” Daruk grinned, slapping Link on the back hard. It _hurt_. 

“Ow!” He stumbled forward. “I thought things weren’t supposed to hurt anymore?” He complained. 

“That’s because there are very few things that can touch a ghost.” Urbosa shrugged. 

“I’m so sorry, Link, I—”

“It’s not your fault, Mipha.” Link smiled at her. “You didn’t activate it, it did it itself.” He sighed as he looked between his and Zelda’s bodies, Fi, and the door that led out of the Sanctum. “But now what?” 

“Well, you’re probably chained by regrets.” Daruk hummed. “You met a lot of people on your journey… maybe you didn’t want to leave them, yet?” 

“It could also be because we weren’t able to fully defeat Ganon.” Zelda added on. “But here’s probably not the best place to talk about this.” 

“Right.” He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. He paused for a moment by his body. While both he and his body wore the same outfit, only his body held the Sheikah Slate. He reached down and concentrated again, managing to pick it up and hook it to his belt with a familiar ease. It beeped quietly for a moment but did nothing more. Strange. 

The sunlight was one of the best things he’d ever seen. He smiled as his feet moved soundlessly over the grass, phasing through the blades as if he weren’t even there. He never thought he’d see the sun again. 

“It’s beautiful.” Zelda smiled, standing beside him. 

“Yeah, it is.” He agreed. 

A nearby Guardian Stalker turned towards them, and Link summoned a shield from his slate on reflex. It wasn’t much—a badly damaged Traveler’s Shield—but it was better than nothing. He’d broken nearly all his weapons during his battle with Calamity Ganon, and this was his last shield. He had to figure out a way to evade—there’s no way he could take down a Guardian without a weapon, and the Great Eagle Bow was on its last legs. It had maybe three shots left before it broke, and he _really_ didn’t want to see the look on Revali’s face if he saw his bow shatter. 

The familiar tracking beam aimed at his chest, and he held the shield before him. He had to time this _perfectly_ . He loathed facing Guardians, they were _never_ easy. 

“Be careful.” Urbosa stood by his side, already in a battle stance of her own. The others seemed to be preparing for a fight, too, and Link briefly wondered if the Champions had done this back when he couldn’t see them. 

“Right.” He nodded as he listened intently to the beeping. Perhaps they _had_ done this before, because Urbosa shifted a bit in surprise at his response. 

The laser vanished, and he tightened his grip on his shield. 

**_Beep_ **

He pushed his shield out with all the power he could muster, praying that he wasn’t too early. He felt the power of the beam push against his shield as it parried back towards the Guardian, and the creature whirred and beeped in confusion. 

Link took that moment to dash over towards some rubble, hiding before it could recalibrate and spot him. It beeped in alarm as it circled the area, attempting to find him. He let out a soft breath when the purple lights dimmed and it walked off. 

“So not only can you touch things, but other things can see you.” Revali hummed. “That is _quite_ a mystery.” 

“Does that mean other people can see Link, too?” Mipha tilted her head. 

“We can find out.” Zelda shrugged. “What do you say, Link?” 

“Worth a shot.” He smiled. “If I teleport away, will you guys come with me?” 

“Yes. We’ve been teleported alongside you each time.” Urbosa nodded. 

“Well, not the first few times.” Revali huffed. “We had to track you down, and _that_ was annoying.” 

Link snorted at the mental image of Revali squawking in shock the first time he vanished into tendrils of blue power, and the annoyance he must’ve felt at having to search throughout Hyrule to find him again. 

“Where’re we headed?” Daruk grinned. “The Rito? You seemed to like it, there.” 

“I was thinking Hateno.” Link finally said. “I’ve got extra weapons and shields I keep at home, so I figured I could restock.” 

“You have a house?” Zelda blinked. 

“He does. Bought an old rundown house in Hateno Village. It was before any of us were freed, so none of us quite know how.” Urbosa explained. 

“Bolson was going to tear it down.” Link smiled. “It was abandoned since the owner died in the Great Calamity. I liked it, so I bought it.” 

“Just like that? You just _bought a house_ because you _felt_ like it?” Revali shook his head. 

“It’s _my_ house. You don’t have to like it.” Link stuck out his tongue at the Rito, causing his feathered friend to jolt a bit at the unexpected action. 

“Wonders never cease.” He muttered. 

Link gave him a long look before hitting the button on his slate. A moment later, they were standing in the Shrine overlooking Hateno. Link couldn’t help but snort when he saw the state of his friends. Urbosa’s height had her head phased through the roof of the Shrine, while Revali was only visible via a wingtip sticking out of the enclosure. Poor Daruk was mostly swallowed up by the small cave-like Shrine entrance. Only Mipha and Zelda seemed to be standing with any sense of normalcy. Zelda gazed around them in awe. He stepped out along with them, allowing everyone to spread out again. 

“That was incredible!” Zelda gushed. “I never knew the slate could _do_ such things! And goodness, is this Hateno?! It’s so _different_!” 

“Yep. It’s Hateno, all right.” Urbosa grinned. “It’s definitely changed over the years, but it’s still got that same feel to it.” 

“Come on, my house is just over that bridge.” Link smirked as he leapt off the face of the small cliff without an ounce of hesitation, waiting several moments before whipping out his paraglider and soaring down towards the entrance of his home. As usual, Bolson and co. were seated around the cooking fire he always kept lit. 

“Link!” Bolson grinned as he waved. 

“Well, that answers that question.” Revali shook his head as he glided down alongside Link. The others took the trail by foot. Maybe ghosts couldn’t fly? 

“Hey, Bolson.” He greeted, smile a little tighter than normal. His pink-clad friend picked up on it instantly. 

“You okay? You seem a little…”

“Yeah, just ran into a Guardian earlier.” He shrugged, letting a small shiver run down his spine. Bolson nodded in understanding. 

“If you need anything, just holler.” He went to pat Link on the shoulder, and he momentarily flailed. 

_Be solid! Be solid! Be solid!_

The warm hand clasped his shoulder, and he nearly melted in relief. In that moment of relief, Bolson’s hand fell through his shoulder a bit, but Link seemed to be the only one to notice. 

He nodded mutely as Bolson and the others left, giving Link his much-needed privacy. “He seems nice.” Zelda smiled. “And he could touch you.” 

“Sort of.” Link frowned, looking at his front door. He thought for a moment, and walked straight through it. The Champions followed him, and he frowned as he looked at his hand. “I think I can control this… touching stuff thing.” He concentrated for a moment and picked up a plate that was collecting dust on his table. 

“What a nice house.” Zelda smiled. “Oh! You’ve got Urbosa’s scimitar!” She eyed the weapon on the wall. “And her shield!”

“I didn’t want anyone’s weapons to get damaged, so I kept them here.” Link explained. 

“And yet you took my bow with you.” Revali raised an eyebrow. 

“I like using a bow. I felt more confident that I wouldn’t _break_ it, like I would a sword or spear.” 

“I don’t recall you breaking so many things before.” Revali sighed. 

Link’s stomach did a flip. Did they… not realize? “Um… do you guys… know what happened? That day?” 

Urbosa and Mipha sat at his table as Revali leaned against the wall. Zelda sat at the foot of the stairs as Daruk made himself comfortable on his floor. “Well, yeah. Calamity attacked and the Blights got us. You and the princess couldn’t get to the castle, and she held Ganon back for a bit.” 

“A bit…” Zelda echoed, sharing a look with Link. “You _do_ realize how much time has passed, yes?” 

“A hundred years.” Revali spat, bitterness evident in his tone. “What I _don’t_ understand is how _Link_ is still so young. I assume it has something to do with why you vanished for a century.” 

Link and Zelda shared a look. “I died.” Link finally said, and the Champions startled. 

“Wait. But if you died back then…” Mipha’s brows furrowed as she gave a gentle frown. 

“I told Impa to bring him to the Shrine of Resurrection.” Zelda sighed. “He died protecting me. I felt the least I could do was try to save him somehow… I just didn’t realize…” 

“It jumbled your memories, right?” Daruk scratched at his head. 

Mipha winced, and Link realized she was probably the only one who understood the depth of his memory loss. He vividly recalled confiding in Sidon one night after he regained control of Vah Ruta—the first Divine Beast he’d tackled. Now that he was thinking about it, he didn’t recall admitting his full amnesia to anyone else. Even Zelda may not know the extent of it. 

“No.” Link shook his head, looking down. “It didn’t jumble my memories… it _took_ them.” He admitted. “I… I don’t remember anything from before I woke up.” 

The silence was thick, and Zelda had a grimace on her face. She must’ve already started putting the pieces together. 

“That’s not entirely true.” Mipha corrected. “You seemed to have regained a few.” 

“Thirteen.” Link corrected. “I’ve regained thirteen individual memories. I have at least one of each of you, but that’s about it. Everything I know is from just before the Calamity. I don’t know anything about… _him_. The Link I used to be.” He sighed as he played with his fingers. He didn’t want to look at them right now. He wasn’t sure he could. 

“Perhaps that’s for the best.” Urbosa finally spoke. “I may not have known you well beforehand, but you seem happier now than you were then.” 

“I suppose… this _does_ explain some things.” Revali’s expression was tight, but he didn’t seem angry. If anything he looked almost… guilty? Disappointed? Link really didn’t know. 

“It’s all right, Little Guy!” Daruk grinned. “The memories are still there if ya want ‘em! And we used to talk a lot. You knew me before you became a Champion, so I can help answer some questions you might have!” 

“And I know you know we were childhood friends.” Mipha smiled. “I can tell you about your family, too.” 

“I… I had a _family_ ?” He echoed, feeling entirely overwhelmed. He wasn’t sure if he _wanted_ to know, but part of him felt like he had an obligation to remember them. He _needed_ to remember them because otherwise they lived for nothing. 

“Yes.” Mipha gave him a small sad smile. “Your mother died when you were a child, but your father was a knight. And you doted on your little sister all the time.” 

“What was her name?” 

“Lyra.” Mipha smiled. “Her name was Lyra.” 

Part of him hoped that her name would spark a memory. Part of him was terrified that it would. But nothing happened. He sighed. 

“I guess… back to the issue at hand.” He decided that since this was _his_ house, he didn’t have to be polite _or_ respectable, so he flopped down on the floor. “I am dead.” 

“I’m fairly sure we can all agree on that.” Revali scowled. 

“I am a ghost. But I can still be seen by people. I can apparently touch things and be touched by people if I concentrate.” 

“That _is_ a surprise.” Mipha hummed. “My Grace activated of its own accord and attempted to revive you.” 

“But the Malice in your body prevented it from doing so.” Urbosa nodded as Link shuddered. 

“That was… painful.” He shook his head. “I think there was another power.” He glanced at his left hand and scrubbed away some of the dirt on his pants. He blinked when he saw three distinct triangles that he was sure hadn’t been there before. One looked brighter than the others, too, but he couldn’t fathom why. “Any of you know what this is?” He sat up, showing them the mark. 

Several of them gasped in surprise, and Revali in particular choked on his spit. “I mean, I know you said you lost your memories, but…” 

“Did you lose _all_ your memories? Do you not even recognize the Triforce anymore?” Urbosa asked. 

“What’s a Triforce?” Link tilted his head innocently. The five full ghosts in the house shared a collective wince. 

“I think this might take a while.” Zelda spoke up. “It’s time for a history lesson…”


	2. The Consequences of Our Actions

_**A/N: Well, hello! You guys seem to really like this story, so here's a nice long 3.8k word chapter for ya! Lots of bonding and Link feeling lost. We even see Impa in this chapter!** _

**_Big shoutout to my LU friends on Discord, you guys rock! Also, I think I'm going to try delving into the realm of Dungeons and Dragons, because tabletop RPGs sound amazing and fun. :3 wml!_ **

**_I'm going to try to update A Hero's Spirit with some level of consistency. Don't think of this as a promise because I get distracted eas—oh yeah I've got coffee... It's lukewarm, now. How long has it been sitting here?_ ** _**Uh... I was saying something, right?** _

_**meh, whatever. Don't expect the LU boys to come in for a while, yet. As it is, they don't pop up till chapter 9 or 10, but I'm going to go back in and hash out two months of story I skipped over out of laziness. :Wild_Laugh: At any rate, please enjoy this chapter! I live on reviews.** _

* * *

* * *

The next few days passed in the quiet of Link’s house. He’d been learning basic history and culture from the other Champions once they realized that he’d lost not only his  _ memories _ , but the  _ knowledge _ he used to carry. Mipha was a great teacher. She was patient and kind and knew how to take things slow if he needed it. Zelda had a great deal of knowledge, but she got frustrated easily whenever he didn’t understand something. She was also prone to trailing off into mutters and tangents whenever she got onto a topic she was particularly passionate about. 

Urbosa was a harsh taskmaster. Fierce and determined, she left little room for error and would not stand for Link to wander off track. In a way, it was nice to have the discipline he’d never remembered having, but he still found himself frustrated with her at times. 

By far his favorite teacher was, surprisingly, Revali. Despite his prickly and arrogant nature, Revali was a patient and competent teacher. He could tell all too easily whenever Link’s attention was starting to wander, and he knew just the right way to snatch it back. In addition, he knew about six different ways to explain  _ everything _ , which was a Hyliasend because sometimes stuff just  _ didn’t click _ when Zelda or Mipha explained it. 

Daruk was about as interested in this stuff as Link himself was, so they mostly just goofed off and shared stories. Link had even stored a Rare Rock Roast in his Slate and found that Daruk could  _ eat _ it when he brought it back out. The Goron had nearly crushed him in that hug, and Link wondered if it was possible for a ghost to die. 

This brought on a whole new series of tests and theories from everyone when they realized that not only was the Slate now solid to ghosts—including the Champions—but that everything stored  _ in _ said Slate was also somehow solid to the spirits of the dead. Zelda theorized that the technology had reacted to Link’s new form and somehow modified itself to be compatible with him. From their tests, they’d found that clothing was solid indefinitely. Weapons and other items stored in it were physical to all of them for at  _ minimum _ half an hour. Some items—like weapons—were solid for a full hour before whatever power it was that made them solid to ghosts wore off. 

Link didn’t even  _ try _ to understand it. As long as it worked for him, that’s what mattered. And the look on Revali’s face when he was finally able to hold a bow for the first time in a hundred years had him feeling warm and fuzzy inside. 

Between the history lessons and sparring lessons, he was improving by leaps and bounds. While nothing had sparked a memory yet, he was optimistic that spending time with people he used to know would help. Beyond that, he’d finally figured out how to pick things up and move stuff like a living person. It was nice to be able to just fiddle with stuff again. 

He hummed to himself as he stirred the curry. He wanted to surprise the others by making them dinner. Sure, ghosts didn’t  _ need _ to eat, but it was a luxury these five haven’t had in a hundred years. Well, two days for Daruk. But more importantly, they’d never had  _ Link’s _ cooking before. He smirked as he completed the entrees and stored the finished products in his Slate. 

After cleaning up the pot, he went inside and called everyone over to the table. He didn’t have enough chairs, but he was sure they wouldn’t mind. “What is it,  _ now _ ?” Revali glared. “Because if you’re trying to worm out of your lessons  _ again _ —”

“I have a surprise for you guys.” Link was grinning ear-to-ear as he rocked back and forth on his feet. He was far too excited to stand still. Daruk seemed to be the only one who knew what was up, as he let out a booming laugh. 

“A surprise?” Zelda blinked. 

“Yep!” Link laughed a bit as he held up his Slate. “You know how stuff stored in here is solid to you guys?” 

“Yes?” Mipha tilted her head. 

“Well, I was thinking… And Daruk confirmed that it  _ should _ be possible…” He grinned as he tapped the button, causing six plates of curry to appear on the table. Each one was poured over a generous portion of freshly made Hylian Rice. The smell was tantalizing and it  _ looked _ as good as it  _ smelled _ . “So anyways, I made everyone dinner!” He finished up with a grin. 

“Is… this a joke?” Revali’s expression soured and he looked personally offended, but Daruk grinned as he reached forward and grabbed his plate. 

“Thanks, Little Guy! Oh!! You used Goron Spices?!” 

“Sure did.” Link grinned as Daruk took a rather large spoonful and devoured it. “WOW! I think this is the best curry I’ve ever had!” 

“Y-you can  _ eat _ ?!” Revali squawked as Zelda cautiously reached for her own plate. 

“It appears so. Because it was stored in the Slate…” She took a politely sized bite of her own. “Oh, this is better than the royal cooks! Link, you never  _ told me _ you could cook this well!” Her cheeks flushed with ecstasy as the flavors rolled across her tongue like waves on a beach, bringing new flavors with every bite.

“It really is good.” Mipha agreed, already halfway through her own plate. “You were always a good cook, but you’ve gotten better over the years.” 

“After having not eaten for a century, I must say that this is probably the best meal to come back to!” Urbosa laughed. 

Revali finally reached for his own plate. The others all watched him with devilish grins as he took a  _ very small _ bite of his own food. A sort of purring kreen came out of his beak that had him blushing madly. Link laughed with everyone else as Revali attempted to recover whatever dignity he had left after he’d apparently produced the Rito equivalent of a moan. 

“W-well, it’s not bad, but that might just be because I haven’t eaten in so long.” He huffed and looked away, but refused to set down his plate. He held it closely to his chest as if afraid that someone would steal it. It was honestly adorable—like a puppy guarding his food against the family kitten. Link almost missed the small whisper of thanks from the archer. 

“So I was thinking, since I like to cook, that I could make us dinner each night. I know you don’t need to eat, but I figured it’d still be appreciated.” Link tossed out. 

“I would love that.” Mipha smiled. 

“Absolutely!” Zelda beamed. “I think I still remember some old recipes from the Royal Kitchens. I could teach you?” Link perked up at the thought of new recipes. 

“And I could teach you some Gerudo dishes.” Urbosa offered. 

“Rock roasts aren’t too hard. We Gorons aren’t picky about  _ how _ it’s prepared, so long as the rocks being used are good.” Daruk laughed. “I’ll eat whatever you make!” 

“I suppose… teaching you some Rito dishes wouldn’t be too hard.” Revali offered. “It would be nice to have a taste of home.” 

“Then it’s decided.” Zelda nodded. “We’ll each teach Link some recipes from home. Oh, I can’t wait! We should have a dinner rotation! A dish from a new culture each night! I might even be able to remember a few foreign recipes, too! I’m so excited.” 

Link smiled as he tuned them out. He’d already finished his food, and had stored his plate away to be cleaned later. He fidgeted before standing and quietly leaving the house. He was very used to being  _ alone _ , and while having everyone around him was great, he couldn’t remember a time when he’d been surrounded by so many people for this long. It was nice, but exhausting. He needed some time alone to recharge. 

He walked over to the stables attached to his house where Echo, his horse, was calmly grazing. He always seemed to know when Link was going to come home. Perhaps sometimes Echo missed home, too. The horse nickered gently and came over to Link. 

“Hey, Echo. Sorry if I’ve been a bit distant lately. I’ve been… distracted.” He confessed as he sat back against the large tree that grew by the pond. Echo laid down beside him so he could lean against his noble steed. His hand stroked the scarred hide of his best friend. “Apparently I’m dead, now.” 

Echo gave Link a sharp, sad look, nuzzling his hair with his whiskery lips. “Ah, so you already knew?” Link sighed. “Well, I’m dead, but also… not?” He tilted his head. “I’m just as confused about it as you are. I can still interact with people and things but my body’s laying back at Hyrule Castle, so I’m pretty sure that means I’m  _ dead _ .” 

Echo snorted and gently butted his head against Link’s. “H-hey!” Link laughed a bit as he snuggled against the warmth of his horse. “I know… The technicalities don’t matter. I’m here and that’s what counts, right?” Echo nodded, and the hero smiled. “But that’s the thing. Remember how I told you about the Champions? Well, their ghosts are here, too. And so is Zelda’s. And  _ they _ can’t move on because  _ I _ can’t move on. And that’s just not fair to them. I’m okay with staying, but they’ve been stuck here for a hundred years. I’ve chained them here long enough. And now I can’t even let them rest? How much more selfish can I get?” 

Echo let out a warning whinny as he sent Link a look that could only be described as a glare, his amber eyes shone in the light of the moon. He sighed and mindlessly combed his fingers through Echo’s ebony black mane. He idly noted that the black fur of his pelt was looking dirty and he’d need a bath soon. “I know. But it’s just…  _ weird _ . I’ve never been around people for so long before. I’m just so used to the quiet… I’m not sure how to handle…” he waved his hand around them aimlessly, “ _ this.  _ This whole not being alone thing. It’s strange and different and I’m not sure if I like it, yet.” He quickly realized his mistake when Echo’s lip rose. “I’m not saying I was  _ completely _ alone, because I had you!” He covered up, as the indignant look faded from the horse’s eye. “I guess I just don’t know  _ what _ I want.” Link admitted. 

“It’s just… For as long as I can remember, my goal has always been to defeat Calamity Ganon. It’s all I’ve known. What do I do now that that’s done? I thought that I’d figure it out afterwards, or that it’d just… fall into place, but… I’ve got nothing. What does a hero do when their journey is done?” 

Echo tucked Link under his chin; the closest he could get to giving the hero a hug. Link smiled softly and hugged his friend back. “I know. I’m glad I have you, too.” 

* * *

Link sat on the cliffs behind his house, watching the sun peek over the horizon. The sky was lightening into brilliant shades of dusky lavenders and fading into lighter blues. He wished he could paint like Pikango, because the Slate’s camera just couldn’t quite capture the vivid colors that started to creep across the sky. 

“Rupee for your thoughts?” He jumped a bit as Urbosa sat down next to him. He belatedly realized he’d been sitting out there all night. He fought back a yawn. How was he getting tired without a body? 

“Just thinking about everything.” He sighed. “I never expected… any of this.” 

“I’d be a little concerned if you had.” She laughed. “This is certainly a strange situation we’ve found ourselves in.” 

“I…” Link pursed his lips. “I don’t know if I want to tell anyone or not.” 

“You don’t have to tell them if you don’t want to.” 

“I don’t?” He looked up at her. 

“Sometimes I forget how young you really are.” She smiled, pulling him into a hug. He stiffened for a moment before relaxing into the comforting warmth. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a hug from anyone but Echo. Had he ever? “Listen, Link. This is  _ your _ life. Even though you’re dead, you’ve got a chance to live again. Live it however you want. Ganon isn’t an issue, right now. You’ve sealed him—just like the heroes before you. You’ve done your job, now you can do what  _ you _ want to do.” She pulled away to look him in the eye. “You don’t have to be the Hero anymore.” 

He smiled a bit bitterly. “I don’t know what I want to do.” He admitted. “Ever since I woke up, it was always about defeating Calamity. Sure, I could help people here and there, but… But what do I do now that my purpose has been fulfilled? I’m done. I’ve done what I needed to do. Now what?” He scrubbed at his scalp in frustration, pulling out strands of hair from where he’d tied it back. “I don’t know how to  _ be _ anything else.” 

“Perhaps it’s time to learn, then.” Urbosa said, patient as ever. “There was once a time when you had to learn to shoulder your duties and let go of the person you once were. Now it’s time to let go of those duties and create the person you want to become.” 

“Create… myself?” 

“Yes.” She smiled. “Nobody’s  _ born _ knowing who they are. We create the people we become as life moves forward. You are no different. A chapter of your life has closed, but that doesn’t mean your story is over. For better or for worse, you’re still here. Alive? That’s questionable. But you have the rare opportunity to  _ live _ —regardless of whether or not you’ve got a heartbeat. Don’t throw that away on our account.” 

“Aren’t you… aren’t you guys mad at me? I’m the reason you can’t move on.” He swallowed thickly, picking at the edge of the cliff with a nervous frown. 

“No.” Urbosa lifted his chin so he had to look her in the eyes. “This was  _ our choice, _ Link. You didn’t  _ chain _ us—we chose to stay because we want to see you  _ live _ .” 

“But… but why?” 

“Because we care about you.” She kissed his forehead gently. It was warm and tingled lightly. He felt like someone had given him a spicy elixir in the middle of the Hebra mountains, and a small chill that’d settled in his very bones started to ebb away. “Because we love you, Link. You’re  _ family _ to us. Even Revali, though he’d never admit that aloud.” 

“I… I don’t understand.” 

“And that’s okay.” She smiled softly, pulling him back into a hug. “You don’t  _ have _ to understand. Just know that we’re here for you. Beyond that, we want to see you  _ happy _ . And moping around dwelling on a battle that’s already done is not going to get you anywhere.” She pulled back and gave him a pointed look.

“I suppose you’re right.” Link finally sighed. “There’s not much I can do about Ganon… he’s too strong for me at this point. He fed off Zelda’s life energy for a hundred years. It’s really no wonder I couldn’t beat him.” 

“Sealing him was more than enough.” She soothed. “I doubt anyone else could’ve done so. Perhaps it is time to share this news with the others.” 

“You mean Riju and them?” Link tilted his head. “But what can I say? ‘Sorry I couldn’t defeat him outright, but don’t worry, I managed to seal him for another hundred years or so.’” 

“Yes.” She laughed when he nearly toppled over. “You  _ did _ defeat him. He is not a threat to Hyrule anymore because of what  _ you _ did.” 

“He wasn’t much of a threat when Zelda was holding him captive.” 

“Look over there, and tell me what you see.” She pointed off into the distance where he could just barely make out the silhouette of Hyrule Castle. 

“The… castle?” 

“And what  _ don’t _ you see surrounding the castle?” 

“Ganon.” He sighed. 

“Zelda explained to us in a bit more detail what had happened while you were asleep. She was only  _ barely _ keeping him contained by that point. You sealing him away has done far more to help Hyrule than you know.” 

“I guess… it just doesn’t feel that way.” Link ran a hand through his hair. It was getting long. “I feel like things were supposed to end differently. Like Ganon was supposed to be  _ killed, _ not just defeated.” 

“Sometimes I feel as if we weren’t meant to die.” Urbosa confessed. “But sometimes what fate had in store for us… isn’t the only outcome available. Perhaps there’s still more for all of us to do, here.” She clapped him gently on the shoulder. “Come on, now. I’d say that’s enough moping. We’ll stop by Impa first, since she’s going to understand the situation the best.” 

“...Right.” Link sighed. “I stand by what I said, though. I won’t tell them I’m dead.” 

“You don’t have to.” 

“But I will tell them about you.” He looked up at her. “If I can give you all some closure… well, it’s better than nothing, right? And I know Mipha’s got some things she wants to say to her brother.” 

“If you want, Little Fox.” 

“Little fox?” He tilted his head. 

“It’s a nickname.” She laughed, but didn’t elaborate further. Link shook his head with a fond smile and got to his feet. “Race you down to the house!” With a smirk and a whoop, he jumped from the cliff, paraglider in his hands a moment later. 

* * *

Impa was an old, old woman. She remembered vividly the days when she was young and naive and ready to take on the world and whatever it had to throw at her. But these days, she found it taxing to so much as climb out of bed without assistance. 

However, with age came a sense of wisdom and patience. The moment Link walked back through her front doors, she knew something was off. Perhaps it was the way he carried himself—tired, dejected, but with a sense of underlying relief. It could’ve also been the way his eyes flickered to the side, like he was looking at something that Impa couldn’t see. The way his lips twitched as if holding back a smile or smirk. 

But the thing that stood out the most to her was his lack of sword. The Sword that Seals the Darkness no longer sat upon his back, but he didn’t seem injured either. Had he fought Calamity Ganon so easily? 

“I see you have returned, Link.” She smiled. “Come, tell me what has happened.” 

He blinked in surprise for a moment before nodding and coming to sit before her. “I have sealed Calamity Ganon.” 

Her eyes widened at that.  _ Sealed _ ? As far as she knew, he was meant to  _ destroy _ the Calamity. Surely, after being subjected to Zelda’s powers for a hundred years, he had run his reserves nearly dry. “And the Princess?” 

“Gone.” He looked off to the side for a moment. “She used the last of her powers to infuse her Divinity into the Master Sword, allowing us to seal Ganon. She lost her life in the castle.” 

Impa’s eyes stung. She’d known that Zelda’s death was a strong possibility, but she’d still held onto a shred of hope that she’d survived somehow. 

“However… I have gained a new ability.” Link hesitated. “I can see ghosts.” 

Impa reeled back. “Truly?! You can see the spirits of the departed?” 

“I can. The Champions and Zelda are here in this room with us.” His words were like a blade to the heart. The Champions hadn’t moved on. Trapped for a hundred years, and even still they refused to leave their final member. She could practically imagine each of them sitting in the room with her and Link. But… was it truly  _ possible _ ? Or was this another unforeseen side effect of the Shrine?

“Revali!” He whispered with a reprimanding tone. “That’s  _ rude _ .” 

No, she could sense it. There were certainly several someones in the room with them, and they were not of the living. But she highly doubted that others would believe such a wild statement without any evidence. If even  _ she _ had doubted him for a moment, then there was little doubt others would cast him out for daring to insult the dead. 

“I believe you, Link. But others may not without some kind of proof.” 

“I know.” He sighed, shaking his head. He glanced behind him for a moment with a ghost of a smile on his face. “You’re the first person I’ve come to.” 

“I must ask, Link… how have you come to me without injury?” 

“Each of the Champions gave me an ability of theirs when I freed them from the Divine Beasts.” Link started carefully. “Among them was Mipha’s Grace—a healing ability that would revive me should I die.” 

Her eyes widened. Had his journey truly been so dangerous that he’d  _ perished _ ?! She’d known it wouldn’t be easy, but Impa had  _ never _ intended to send him to his  _ death _ . Surely, though his memories were gone… He’d certainly been a skilled swordsman beforehand, and that skill would no doubt transfer to now. 

Link looked over, and flushed. “Fine.” He muttered. “Zelda wants to tell you that my amnesia goes deeper than you might realize. She said that when you, Purah, and Robbie discovered the shrine, you theorized that the memories were a trade-off for the healing. But Zelda’s telling me that you never realized it stole  _ all _ memories, including knowledge.” 

She suddenly felt every one of her 120 years. She thought she’d been sending a trained knight out to fight the monster that was Calamity Ganon, but… had she truly sent what was essentially a  _ child _ ? 

“I am so sorry, Link. Had I known the extent of your amnesia, I would never—”

“It’s fine.” Link shook his head quickly. “What’s done is done, and I’m honestly grateful for this journey. But Ganon was just too strong. He fed off Zelda’s power for a century. He didn’t grow weaker, he got stronger.” 

“Yet another piece of misinformation that hurt you.” She scowled. “I… no,  _ Hyrule _ owes you an apology, Link. We were the ones that sent you to your death, and I was the one who sent you right back out upon your return.” She bowed, and Link started to look flustered. 

“P-please don’t! Impa, don’t blame yourself for any of this, okay?” He smiled softly as she straightened. 

“You are too forgiving.” She sighed. “I assume you intend to inform the others as well?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then go. I will be here should you need anything. The Sheikah are in your debt, Link. We will be there for you whenever you need—just call.” 

Link nodded and stood up, stumbling suddenly as if a great force had clapped him on the back. For a brief moment, she swore she saw Daruk, the Goron Champion, standing beside the Hero, but he was gone before she had a chance to blink. 

She smiled a little bitterly. At least he wasn’t alone.


	3. Birds of a Feather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link goes to the Rito Village to inform them of Ganon's defeat. Revali takes a walk down memory lane.

_**A/N: Hello everyone! I'm going to TRY to update this each week or so until I get caught up to where I'm at in the writing (I wanna say... Chapter 9 or something at this time). I've done a bit of culture building for many of the races in Hyrule, so forgive me if something doesn't match up to Nintendo's backstory—I do not own or have access to the Hyrule Historia book or anything of the sort. That being said, please enjoy~!** _

_**I'm also dedicating this chapter to my friend Skies Sparrow on the LU Discord channel for drawing a beautiful Rito Wild for an upcoming story of mine and letting me have a blast coloring it! :3 (Sparrow actually drew 2 pictures for me, so double awesomeness there!!)** _

* * *

* * *

Revali hesitated when they arrived at the shrine to Rito Village. “I’ll just wait here.” He decided. Link shot him a confused look. 

“Why?” 

“Revali’s never gone to the village.” Mipha explained, causing the Rito to shoot her a glare. 

“I just don’t wish to watch Link make a fool of himself before my people.” He huffed, crossing his wings. 

Link looked at him for a long moment before a light of understanding lit his gaze. “You don’t know them.” He realized, and Revali’s heart skipped a beat. 

“I-I don’t know  _ what _ you’re talking about.” He covered, but he knew he’d been caught. 

Rito were naturally very social creatures. They nested together and formed lifelong flocks. For him to be unable to recognize any of the Rito in his home village was not only  _ humiliating _ , but terrifying. 

In a sense, it was a bit like the reverse of Link’s amnesia. For many Rito, a great fear was to be cast out or forgotten by their flock. And Revali wasn’t sure if they would remember him or not. 

“Come on.” Link smiled softly, taking his wing gently in his featherless grasp. “I think you’ll be surprised by how much they remember.” 

Revali had to remind himself once again just how different this Link was from the silent knight he used to know. The old Link was vigilant, sure. And he was plenty observant and definitely sharp—regardless of what Revali had always said. 

But this Link was… softer, somehow. He was still just as observant, but he noticed more than just his environment. He noticed  _ people _ . He always seemed to sense when something was wrong, and he wasn’t afraid to speak up and point it out. Revali wasn’t sure if he preferred the silence that he’d grown used to a hundred years ago. 

Even so, the warm hand on his wing somehow muffled the fear that was welling up within him. He swallowed thickly as Link led him through the Village.

It was surreal. He recognized parts of it, but other pieces were incredibly new. And then other parts that he knew  _ should _ be there were just… gone. It was like walking through a dream world while wide awake. It was familiar yet alien at the same time.

The main thing he noticed was how much  _ smaller _ the village was. Back in his time, the Rito Village was on its way to becoming a city, much like Castle Town had been. In fact, several families had flocked together and set out on their own to make other villages. He’d known of four Rito Villages around Hyrule by the time Calamity hit. 

He realized with a start that this was all that was left of them. 

Revali distinctly recalled the lake below them was a lot smaller a century ago. He couldn’t remember anything in the days following his death, but it looked like Ganon had used Vah Medoh to decimate a great deal of what had once been his home. Over half the land that the village had been built on was just…  _ gone _ . 

He bit back a growl as a wave of righteous anger welled up within him. How  _ dare _ Ganon do this! To  _ his _ people! He startled a bit when Link’s grasp tightened a bit, and the knight’s blue eyes bore into his. “It’s okay.” He whispered softly to Revali. “I’m angry, too.” 

“I…” He swallowed for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “The village used to stretch all the way across this space.” He gestured towards the edge of the snowy region. “Houses were being built over there, too. This was the  _ center _ of the town. And now… this is it.” He couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice. 

“The Rito will recover.” Link promised, sending him a smile. “Your people are strong.”

“Yeah.” He smiled a bit. “They are.” 

“Teba!” Link waved when he caught sight of someone, releasing Revali’s wing as he did so. He’d never admit aloud just how much he missed that warmth. 

A large white eagle Rito perked up. “Link!” He greeted back warmly. Revali huffed a bit. Apparently Link was well acquainted with this Rito. 

“Link? Yay!! Link’s back! Link’s back!” A small flock of feathered children ran towards the blue-clad hero, grabbing at his arms and tunic with excited chirps and whistles. 

“Are you gonna play with us again?” One of them asked, and Link laughed. 

“Maybe in a bit. Right now, I need to talk to Saki and Teba, okay?” He shot a curious glance around. “Where’s Genli?” 

A blue-feathered hatchling piped up. “Avoiding singing practice again. I think Notts went to go find her.” 

Link laughed. “Thanks, Cree. I’ll see if I can help her out later.” 

“Is that Link?” A black crow-like Rito walked over as the children ran off to play elsewhere. “Haven’t seen you in a while.” 

“Harth!” He greeted back warmly. “How’s that wing?” 

“Just fine, thanks to you. How’s that bow?” 

“Actually, I was hoping you could do some minor repairs.” Link winced as he pulled out Revali’s Great Eagle bow. 

Revali sent Link a glare. “You’re letting  _ him _ work on  _ my _ bow?! I’ll have you know that I crafted that myself!” 

“Ah, yes. I see you’ve put it through the wringer.” He frowned. “How unlike you… You’re normally not one to use his bow so carelessly.” 

“It was only right.” Link said softly. “To take it into battle with me.” 

“Link.” Teba stepped forward, a worried frown on his face. “Don’t tell me you faced  _ Calamity Ganon _ by yourself.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous! Link has more…” Harth stopped himself as his eyes widened. 

“We _ are _ talking about the same person who flew at Vah Medoh without an ounce of hesitation.” Teba countered. 

“And flew through a blizzard without snowquill armor to find you.” Harth agreed. 

“You did  _ what _ ?!” Revali balked. For a Hylian to travel through a blizzard in Hebra without snowquill armor was suicide! What was Link  _ thinking _ ?! 

“I found you, though. And Vah Medoh was calmed, so it’s  _ fine _ .” Link huffed, pouting like a child. 

“Honestly. Did you really tackle Ganon yourself?” Teba took a step closer, reaching out a wing to tilt Link’s face upwards. 

Revali’s breath caught in his throat. The way that Teba was treating Link… that same low crooning sound and… he was treating Link like… like his  _ hatchling _ . Or a nestmate, at the very least.

“I did.” Link flushed. “I managed to seal him. He was too strong to defeat.” 

“You are an  _ idiot _ .” Teba pulled Link into a hug. “Do you have any idea how  _ dangerous _ that was?!” 

“Oh, I think he’s got a pretty good idea.” Urbosa winced.

“I’m  _ sorry _ .” Link whispered, hugging Teba back. 

“Link, we would be devastated if something happened to you.” He admitted, and Link’s wince was hidden by feathers. 

Revali was still trying his best to process what he was seeing. Link had somehow been adopted by the Rito. The way the children had gathered around him, like an older nestmate… the way the older Rito looked at him with a soft but vigilant gaze… the whole village had adopted him. They’d practically made Link an honorary Rito. And Revali wasn’t sure how he felt about that. 

“There’s…” Link looked at the two. “There’s something I need to explain to you two. Can we sit for a moment?” 

“Of course.” Harth nodded. “There’s something we have for you, too, actually. Come on, my place is right around the corner.” 

Once everyone was settled, Link sighed. “I’m not the Champion’s descendant like Kaneli thinks. The truth is that I  _ am _ the Hylian Champion from a century ago. There’s this place called the Shrine of Resurrection that can apparently revive someone who’s recently died. Thing is, it takes all your memories away when it does so.” He looked down at his left hand with a frown, Triforce covered with a fingerless glove as per Urbosa’s suggestion. 

The two were quiet for a long moment. “So that’s why you could enter the Divine Beast.” Teba smoothed down some feathers. “That makes a lot more sense, actually.” 

“I always felt like the descendant thing was odd. I mean, don’t Hylians mate for life? As far as I know, the Champion was entirely dedicated to his duty.” Harth agreed. 

“You have  _ no _ idea.” Zelda sighed, likely recalling Link’s persistent shadowing of her.

Teba glanced off to the side. “So you knew the Great Revali.” 

Revali startled at the sound of his name. They… they  _ remembered _ him? He caught Link glance towards him for a brief moment, and he shook his head. He didn’t want them to know. He was fine being remembered. Perhaps… it was best that way. 

“I did. I may not have many memories of him, but he remains the most magnificent archer I’ve ever seen.” Link answered with a wistful smile. Revali felt his cheeks warm at the unexpected compliment. 

“And you’d better remember it.” He huffed.

“I see… it’s no wonder you take such good care of his bow, then.” Harth nodded. “But it’s still damaged. I can repair it, if you’d like?” 

“Please?” Link handed the bow over. “You’re the best bow craftsman among the Rito.” 

“I studied all of Revali’s old notes. Even though he’s long passed, he was an incredible teacher. I wish I could’ve studied under him in person.” Harth smiled. 

Revali felt a few of his feathers smooth down. If this guy had really studied his old notes, then he should be fine to fix his bow. He’d still insist on getting a good look over it afterwards, though. Just to make sure Harth didn’t screw anything up. 

“I’m sure he’d be happy to know his bow is in good wings.” Link smiled.

“I assume you can stay for a few days?” Teba smirked. “The hatchlings will be so disappointed if you can’t. I know Tulin in particular would pout for days.” 

“I’ll stay the night.” Link decided. “But I need to inform the Gerudo, Gorons, and Zora of Ganon’s… defeat.”

“Sealing him was more than enough.” Teba placed a wing on his shoulder, instantly understanding what Link had meant. “Nobody asked you to do anything.” Teba scowled a bit. “And a century ago, you  _ died _ fighting against his power. You’ve done more than your share, Link. Let us do ours. Rest, you are always welcome among the Rito.” 

“ _ Actually _ …” Harth gave a devilish grin as he glanced at Teba. “Go on. You’ve got something for Link, don’t you?” 

Teba chuckled a bit as he pulled out a wrapped parcel. “I would’ve given it to you sooner, but it took a while to get the colors right. Not to mention the fact that you just come and go without warning.” He held it out to Link, who took it with a curious tilt of his head. 

“But… you didn’t have to get me anything.” 

“Go on. Open it, and I’ll tell you why.” Teba smiled as Link opened the parcel. 

“Oh,  _ wow _ . It’s so pretty.” Link grinned as he pulled out a feather strung on a string. It was golden in coloration and started to fade three quarts down until the tips were as blue as Link’s tunic and eyes. Revali’s breath left him. 

“Do you know what that is, Link?” Harth asked. 

“A… feather?” 

“It’s a symbol.” Teba said. “There’s an old legend amongst the Rito… There was once a great Eagle Rito named Fyre. He was the strongest flier that’d ever been, and the best warrior that would ever be. He was rightly arrogant and sought to start a war with the Hylians to prove his strength, for he looked down on them for their lack of flight. The Goddess Hylia saw this and warned Fyre to leave her chosen people be, but he did not listen. He struck down a great swordsman—some stories even say he was the hero of that time—and as punishment, the Goddess stripped him of his wings and feathers, turning him into a Hylian, himself. Not a single feather of his remained.” 

Harth grinned as he picked up where Teba left off. “There’s a second story that goes with the Fall of Fyre. Some stories say it’s Fyre redeemed, others say it’s an entirely different person, going by the name of Brine. He was a Hylian that longed for one thing—the flight of the Rito. Often, Brine interacted with the Rito, helping them in whatever ways he could. Everything from teaching them sewing to helping them move goods. He lived among them as if he  _ was _ one of them. But he wasn’t. He was still a Hylian, and nothing would change that.” 

“In the version where it’s Fyre, he was trying to earn redemption by doing good deeds to the Rito he had wronged.” Teba butted in, earning a light swap from Harth. 

“As I was  _ saying _ , before I was so  _ rudely _ interrupted.” He shot Teba a glare. “Brine—or Fyre, depending on the version—continued to help the Rito wherever he could. One day, a Lynel made its way into the village, wreaking havoc on the village. Brine—or Fyre—gave his life to defeat that Lynel, saving all the Rito. Hylia was pleased by this act of courage, and blessed him with new life. She gifted him a feather—in the story of Fyre, it’s the same color as his feathers used to be. In Brine’s story, it’s said that the feathers were made in the color of his Rito soul. This feather, when worn, would transform him into a Rito.” 

“And  _ that _ ,” Teba picked back up, “is where this tradition came from.” He pointed towards Link’s golden feather. “Whenever someone not of the Rito does an immeasurable act of courage, we honor them by creating a feather in the colors that we believe they would have if they had feathers of their own.” 

“It means we recognize you  _ as _ a Rito, not a Hylian.” Harth finished with a grin. “No matter where you go,  _ every _ Rito will treat you as one of us—because you  _ are _ a Rito, now. And nothing will change that.”

“It’s an incredible honor.” Revali spoke up, voice quiet. “I think the last time I heard of it happening was at  _ least _ a hundred years or two before my time. It would be beyond rude to refuse.” It was an honor to be even  _ considered _ for such a thing, let alone to receive a feather. While there was certainly no magical properties that would change Link into a Rito, the symbol was there all the same. If he chose to accept this gift, he would always be welcomed by any Rito from any region.

“I…” Link’s voice seemed to catch in his throat as he looked at the feather. It was such a small thing, but suddenly it felt like it was made of the gold it looked like. This was a gift beyond measure. He was being offered  _ family _ —a flock of his own. He strung it around his neck without a word, his actions a silent acceptance of the gift bestowed upon him. 

“Welcome to the flock, Link.” Teba ruffled his hair, and Link laughed. 

“We should tell Kaneli about Calamity Ganon’s defeat.” Harth stretched a bit as he stood. 

“We’ll leave you to sit and process everything.” Teba smiled as he joined the raven, leaving Link alone with the Champions.

“Oh, that’s  _ wonderful! _ ” Zelda beamed, eyeing the feather. “I’m so happy you managed to find people to look after you!” 

“I hope they’re gonna be okay when we find a way to move on, though…” Daruk frowned. For a moment, Revali saw the image clear as day. Teba and Harth and the rest of the village setting feathers to the wind in the traditional funeral procession of a fellow Rito. 

The Ceremony of the Winds was a beautiful and sorrowful sight to behold. Whenever a Rito died—particularly a Rito  _ warrior _ —the entire village would gather. Each warrior would pluck pristine feathers and send them off into the gales of the winds to guide the soul to the afterlife. That way, they’d be able to take feathers from their families and loved ones with them as a reminder that they’ll always have flock—that they’ll never be alone. 

He vaguely recalled his own Ceremony of the Winds. It’d been beautiful—archers shot arrows of blue fire into the skies to light the path of the feathers, as they’d done it in the darkness of the night. Revali had rather liked that part. 

He had no doubts that, should they ever learn that Link had perished in the castle that day, they would not hesitate to perform a similarly beautiful and unique Ceremony of the Winds for Link. 

“Whatever.” Revali huffed, but he knew he wouldn’t look at Link the same way again. He wasn’t just some Hylian anymore. An honorary Rito was recognized no matter the flock. Even though his pride would never let him admit it aloud, Revali knew that this changed  _ everything _ . Link was flock. And he would honor that decision. Not that Link had to know that. 

But he’d keep a bit of a sharper eye out for the idiot. He had a feeling he’d need it. 


End file.
